Experts say that people who are always pre-occupied with their appearances and dislike their bodies, may be suffering from body dysmorphic disorder (BDD), a growing phenomenon in India.

Don't like the shape of your nose and want to go under the knife? Experts say that people who are always pre-occupied with their appearances and dislike their bodies, may be suffering from body dysmorphic disorder (BDD), a growing phenomenon in India.

Although there is no official data on the number of cosmetic surgery procedures being conducted in India, according to a health expert in a Delhi hospital the number of people going for cosmetic surgeries has jumped manifold over the last five years.

Rakesh Khazanchi, senior consultant of the department of plastic and cosmetic surgery at the Sir Gangaram Hospital, said: "Cosmetic procedures like rhinoplasty, liposuction, male breast reduction, abdominoplasty have seen a whopping increase of nearly 150 per cent in the last five years. Nearly 10 per cent of these people suffer from BDD and are in their late teens or early twenties."

"The number of dysmorphic patients is also increasing every year," he added.

A survey by the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery (AAFPRS) revealed that six out of 100 women who seek plastic surgery suffer from BDD as do seven out of 100 men.

Rajeev B. Ahuja, chairman of the International Confederation for Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery (IPRAS), said: "A cosmetic surgeon must be able to distinguish between patients who need multiple surgeries, and those who are truly dysmorphic and just require counselling."

"Very often a plastic surgeon may also need to play the role of a psychiatrist," he added.

Talking on this issue and other topics related to cosmetic surgery, will be hundreds of experts in the field at the 15th World Congress of IPRAS in the capital on December 3 this year.